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Okay, I have some serious catching up to do. I'm not even going to pretend to know where I left off. In an attempt to make things better, an itemized list:
-I'm actually booking weddings now! Hooray! Photography has been going considerably well. My skill has jumped seriously in the past six months-or-year, largely due to a professional wedding photographer's group that is supportive and wonderful. It's still not making me much money at the moment, but it will later this year, and I'm starting to get multiple inquiries every other week or every couple of weeks, from successful advertising and organic searches. Yay. Still a long way to go, but if I can finish off this year with more practice & portfolio building, I should be set to start next year off strong. I really need to find an accountant and get the backoffice side working more smoothly, but funds are tight right now, so it's waiting.
-My main camera broke. At a time where I can ill afford it, seriously. I think the shutter's gone; usually a $300 replacement, for a camera which, now slightly older, is valued around $900. Ouch. Too expensive to fix and too expensive to replace. Anyway, it's off at Canon being serviced, and I will get it back in a few weeks having gone through withdrawal and being several hundred dollars poorer. God I need new equipment. (and I'm trying to be blase about it, but my camera is like my third eye, and... I'm kind of crippled without it.)
-I'm going to be starting work with a cool nonprofit! I'm hoping it will give me more projects to work on during slow times. I'm approved to work with them, but I'll make a real announcement once I am listed on their website and things are running.
-My little brother got his first real job! I am so proud of him for taking steps towards independence & being a responsible adult, even at just seventeen. There's hope for him yet.
-Annd, for the big one, we're buying a house.
Just like that.
Here's how it went down:
Monday I got the email listing for the house. We took a look at it, were intrigued, and emailed our agent on Tuesday that we were interested in looking at it. On Wednesday, Andy and I did a quick drive-by to make sure it was in a good area and not trashed, and what we saw was encouraging. On Thursday, our agent emailed to set up an appointment for next. And then called, multiple times, saying that if we were interested in the house, we had to go look at it NOW. So we all drove by immediately after work, stomping around the house in the mud and the rain. It's adorable, in great condition, and actually cheaper than our ideal price range- awesome! Went that night to help my little brother put together his resume, stopped at home for the twenty-minute-dinner, and then went to my awesome agent's house to put in an offer at ten pm. The offer was officially put in on Friday, accepted Saturday afternoon.
...so. A house. Just like that. It's a little bit mad.
I'd take pictures of it, but obviously my camera is broken. Y'know, because I can take pictures of cats and flowers all day but can't document one of the biggest events of my life. :p (A little bitter, maybe? S'ok.) Can't afford to do my usual rental backup right now either. Just take my word for it: it is cozy and charming and I love it to pieces. Mortgage application starts tomorrow, inspections are on Friday, and we're already decorating the living room.
There's more to say, but I had to get the big updates out of the way. Thoughts come later.